


Romantic

by DarkJediQueen



Series: Love Heals the Shattered Soul or Winning Back the Heart of Spencer Reid [15]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: DJQ's 2016 Fic A Week Challenge, M/M, Romance, re-established relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-13
Updated: 2016-07-13
Packaged: 2018-07-19 06:46:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7350145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkJediQueen/pseuds/DarkJediQueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was nothing more than a date but Aaron was going to make it one of the best days of their lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Romantic

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rivermoon1970](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rivermoon1970/gifts).



> **Beta** : rivermoon1970

Aaron's hands were sweating as he knocked on Spencer's door. He'd asked Spencer to spend the day with him. He'd planned an entire day date for them. His trunk was packed with the afternoon's things. It was nine on the dot when Spencer opened the door. The sound of running feet had him laughing as Jack and Henry squeezed between either side of his legs and the doorway. 

"Hi, Dad."

"Hi, Uncle Aaron."

"Good morning boys. Have you both been good for Spencer?"

"Duh," they both parroted. Aaron laughed as Jack pushed at Spencer's legs, making the younger man take a step towards him. Spencer blushed but leaned in and kissed him. 

"Good morning."

"Good morning," Spencer said back. He looked down at Jack. "I took Henry off JJ's hands so that she and and Will could have a good morning. I think that I heard the water start running an hour ago."

"Ah, lazy no children mornings." Aaron leaned down and picked up Jack. "I don't remember what those days were."

"You didn't have Jack last night," Spencer pointed out, a frown on his face. He was trying to puzzle it out. He stepped back to allow Aaron into the house. Aaron set Jack down and he and Henry took off to what looked like a massive pile of big block legos. Aaron used that distraction to step up behind Spencer and pull him back into his body. 

"A lazy morning with no kids and someone in bed with you to make it a really great morning," Aaron whispered in his ear. 

"Oh. I see." Spencer's body didn't go tense and Aaron didn't push, just held him close. The back door opened and Aaron looked up to see Will. 

"I'll stay over here with them for a little then take them back to ours. Have a good day," Will said as he moved to the coffee pot. If his demeanor was anything to go by, he and JJ had had a no sleep night. Aaron wasn't shocked when Will nearly drained the cup in one go. Spencer looked a little shocked at it. Aaron kissed his forehead.

"I'll explain in the car," Aaron supplied helpfully, hoping to get them out of there just a little quicker. The day was planned down to the last detail. First, coffee at Spencer's favorite shop and a little walk down to his newest book store. Spencer grabbed his coffee cup and drained it before moving fully into the kitchen where Will was making a second cup of coffee. "Thank you so much for watching Jack today, Will."

"It's fine. We have a lovely day of fort building in the living room planned."

"Sounds like fun," Aaron said as he moved into the kitchen and pulled Spencer out with an arm around his waist. Will was laughing and Aaron ignored him. They stopped and said their goodbyes to Jack and Henry. Jack would have probably pushed them out the door if he had been raised differently. Aaron ruffled Jack's hair as he passed by him. His hand was shoved away and Jack pouted at him. Aaron tried to figure out exactly when Jack started to pout like Spencer did. He couldn't place a memory on it enough to be exact, but the first time he remembered seeing it was the first time that Spencer had stayed the night during their first go at a relationship. He'd woken up to find Jack standing at his bedside. They'd left the door open and Jack was just standing there looking at them. Aaron had pulled him up into the bed, between him and Spencer. Jack had looked at Spencer who had still been asleep even after getting a foot to the gut. Jack had pouted and it had looked exactly like how Spencer had pouted. They had spent time together, Aaron hadn't gone into it blind. It wasn't like starting a relationship with anyone else. Spencer knew Jack. Jack loved hanging out with Spencer. 

"You've not told me anything about today. You've not told me a single thing." Spencer was wearing a matching pout on his face as Aaron escorted him to the car. He leaned back against the door that Aaron was getting ready to open. 

"And I know that you don't like it, but I want this day to be fun and happy." 

"And romantic." Spencer pulled Aaron into him, kissing the side of his face. "Being with you is all that I want. You don't have to go to extravagant plans."

"I know that, but we haven't been on any real , just me and you dates, and I want to do that. So first up is coffee. Your favorite coffee shop."

"Where you are going to buy I assume."

"Well is seems only fair since I am dragging you out. But the stop after coffee, that bill is all your own. I have a son to provide for, I can't keep up with your word addiction and keep him in the style of life he's come to enjoy." Aaron smiled as he kissed Spencer properly on the lips. He wrapped an arm around Spencer's waist to pull him up and away from the door so he could get it open. "Now we must go if I want to keep to a schedule."

"Can't have us getting off schedule," Spencer said but he did dip down and sit in the front seat of the car. Aaron couldn't hold in the smile on his face as he rounded the back of the car to get into the driver's seat. He was looking forward to the day, no matter exactly how long they stayed at the bookstore. 

Properly caffeinated, Spencer spent three and a half hours inside the bookstore. Aaron just had to pick the day that they got a new shipment of books from their sister store in California. When they had entered the store, the attendant had smiled wide at Spencer and waved before ducking into the back room. Aaron had known then that he was in for a long wait. But instead of being upset, he enjoyed it. There was a sitting room in the back where a loveseat was angled to where Aaron could see the front door and most of the shop. Spencer would flit back to him when he had a book he wanted to look more at, and there was a healthy stack of books on the floor that Aaron had been told to guard with his life. He had told Spencer that he hadn't brought his gun so he'd have to use his fists. While it was a relaxed day, Aaron had worn a button up with his jeans. Knowing that it was a look that Spencer liked. He had been shocked though, when he'd unbuttoned his cuffs to relax and read his own book while Spencer perused all the new books that Spencer had looked at him like he'd rather be in the bedroom than in the book store. He tried to figure out a time where him taking off his shirt had sparked such a reaction and he couldn't remember. 

With books paid for and set to be taken to Spencer's apartment tomorrow, Aaron finally pulled him out. A small wrapped package had been taken to the car on one of Spencer's trips up into the loft while Aaron had been fetching more coffee from the shop next door, who Aaron found out had a tab for Spencer. Aaron had gladly put their second set of coffee on that tab as well as a third. 

Aaron had a specific location in mind for where they were going. He knew that it wouldn't take long for Spencer to figure it out but that was perfectly fine with him. He stopped at a lovely little restaurant that he'd found on accident one day shopping with Jack. He made Spencer promise to keep his eyes on his book that Aaron knew that he had in his bag. The shy, guilty smile that Spencer gave him told him that he was upset at being caught but wasn't going to apologize. Aaron slipped into the restaurant and picked up his order, including the bottles of wine. The first bottle was set to go with the food for the picnic, but the second was Spencer's favorite and Aaron had ordered it in and it had been dropped off to be kept chill where Spencer couldn't find it. He got it all into the trunk and Spencer never once looked up from his book in the front seat of the car. 

Watching Spencer when he was unaware that he was being observed was something that Aaron loved to do. The little quirks that he had. Brushing a finger across a line on a page that he liked, like doing it would cement it more in his mind. The smile as he read over a line again, mouthing the words like he'd read it a hundred times when it was his second. The way that he carefully opened a book or turned a page like it was a piece of art he was afraid of damaging when it was just a fiction book and the only value was in Spencer's mind. Aaron knew that he'd been caught this time though when a small smile started on Spencer's face. He tucked his hair behind his ear on the side that Aaron was on and he licked his lips. That told Aaron that he knew he'd been caught just as much as the younger man looking up at him would have. It was a habit that he only had when he knew that Aaron was looking at him. 

Aaron moved around the car and got in, leaning over and kissing Spencer who turned to make the kiss one on the lips at the last second. He felt Spencer moving and felt a hand brush his cheek as the younger man pulled back. The book was on the dash of the car and Spencer's other hand was coming up to cup his cheek, pulling him into a deeper kiss. There was no hesitance to any of it. Not in the hands on his skin, nor the lips on his own, and there was no hesitance at all to the tongue tangling with his own. 

"Are you ready for the next part?"

"Sure. You know that I can't not make a guess in my mind right? We are stopped in front of a restaurant which means that if you got food from in there and I am not going in that means we are not eating there. You are too proper to be taking the food anywhere else that actually serves food, and I doubt that you would have chosen this place to grab food if we were going back to your place or mine, so that means somewhere out and about."

"You wouldn't be you if you didn't analyze everything. The surprise isn't that we are going out to eat, it's where exactly we are going to eat the food in the trunk, and you'll get it in a few minutes, so why don't we wait for your brain to make the connection?" Aaron asked with a smile as he turned the key in the ignition on the car. Spencer laughed and sat back, waiting for Aaron to put the car in drive before taking his hand and holding it. He waited for the hand to relax before he separated them just long enough for him to turn his hand over and bring Spencer's knuckles up for a kiss. 

Spencer's eyes were focused on the drive, Aaron could almost follow what he was sure was the process of elimination of where each turn that Aaron made was taking them. Taking into account road construction and what each left instead of a right could mean. When Aaron made the turn that could only be taking them to the waterfront, Spencer's brows knitted together. His eyes were moving around and then after about five seconds, a large smile settled on his face. He relaxed back into his seat and Aaron knew that he was happy with the choice. To them the Georgetown Waterfront Park was everything. It's where Aaron had realized that Jack loved Spencer and it was that same trip that Aaron realized he'd been in love with the younger man. Jack wanted to go there every single chance that he got. It's where at a cookout with the whole team that Spencer had taught Jack to swim in the river after Aaron had tried for a year with no success. It's where Aaron had got to watch Morgan and Will pick up Spencer and throw him into the river when the genius had not wanted to join them all for a game of water volleyball. It's where Jack had told Spencer that he loved him, when the genius had been carrying him back to the car one night after a late light picnic had happened after a case had wrapped and they'd just got back in time for a late meal of McDonald's watching the moonlight sparkle on the water. 

None of them had been back to the park since Aaron had walked away from Spencer. Jack had asked him a few weeks back and Aaron had overheard him. It's when the plans for this hard started. He'd just been a little afraid of what Spencer's reaction would be but given this, the younger man was more than happy with the plans. 

"A waterfront picnic?" Spencer asked.

"Yes, and more but the and more you will have to just wait to find out what it is."

Spencer seperated their hands long enough to place a kiss on the palm of Aaron's hand. Aaron was happy that the little shows of affection were back to normal with them. There was no hesitation on Spencer's part. Kisses on the back of Aaron's neck when he passed him in the kitchen or even the bathroom on cases when they were getting ready in the mornings. Hands brushing body parts that were not ones that friends and especially coworkers touched. They were almost back to perfect, with a stronger foundation. 

Aaron parked the car at the little lot for one of the smaller ends of the park. Where he knew that they would get a bit more peace. It was far away from the promenade and just off the walking and biking path. Aaron handed over the bag that had a blanket for them to sit on, one for Spencer to wrap around himself if the air off the water got him chilly and a few pillows for the plan after they finished eating. The look on Spencer's face told Aaron that he was trying to figure out what the pillows were for. The package from the bookstore was slipped into the food basket while Spencer was looking out at the water. Aaron picked up the basket and after shutting the trunk, he wrapped his arm around Spencer's waist to lead him to the place that he wanted to spend the afternoon. They had hours they could spend at the park. Their dinner reservations were not until nine that night. 

"So a relaxing picnic at the park and reading?" Spencer asked as he laid his head down on Aaron's shoulder. Aaron started a little at his words. He really thought that he'd got the books out of the shop without Spencer seeing them. "There was a slip with your name on it at the shop. I didn't peek but then you never actually paid for them when I paid for mine and you had no bag, so I assume it's a surprise for me and I saw you slip that package, I know the wrapping from the shop, into the basket. You really need to be a better magician to get things past me." 

"I don't want to ever be that good of a magician."

Spencer looked up at him, a frown on his face. It was his I Don't Understand frown. Aaron kissed his forehead. 

"I don't want to ever be good enough to hide things from you."

"Oh." The sappy smile on his face told Aaron that Spencer was very happy with that statement. Lying for the job was one thing, lying about them was something that he didn't want to do. 

It didn't take long to find that tree that Aaron wanted. The area that faced the river in front of it was flat enough for the blanket with no roots. They'd picniced at it before. Spencer set about getting the blanket spread on the ground while Aaron set the basket down on the side of the tree. Once it was down, Aaron sat and leaned back on the tree while Spencer fussed with getting the blanket wholly flat. When the younger man was happy with it, he settled in at Aaron's side, laying down with his head in his lap, eyes out on the water. Aaron closed his eyes as he started to play with Spencer's hair, raking his nails across his head and then letting the hair fall between his stretched fingers. Nothing needed said between them as they sat there, enjoying each other.

Lunch was eaten when Spencer's stomach growled and couldn't get it to stop. The meal was simple, sandwiches and a few sides that were some of Spencer and Aaron's favorites. The wine was poured into cups that Spencer's nose twitched a little at. Aaron hadn't wanted to try wine glasses on the blanket and the top heavy weight pulling them over in a good river breeze. Aaron knew that while Spencer's life wasn't like his, he had raised himself and he'd raised himself on stories of the past where drinking wine out of anything but a wine glass was frowned upon. He hasn't escaped from home to college where you had a single plate and a dish because anything more and it was going to get destroyed or one just didn't care enough to want more than that. That everything from water to pop to whiskey to wine was drank out of the same glass. Aaron knew that he hadn't gone to parties too much because there was no way that someone was going to let the underage kid go to a kegger and get in trouble. He'd probably never drank beer from a keg in a one of those iconic red cups. 

"You are such a little snob," Aaron said as he leaned over and kissed him, tasting the wine on his lips from the drink he'd just taken. Spencer laughed and a blush started on his face. "It's adorable."

"I'm glad you find me adorable. I just..."

"You've never had the classic college experience, I know. You were on your way to the FBI by the time that you had turned legal and before that you weren't invited. By the time you turned the age of incoming freshman, you were probably so used to not going to the parties that you just didn't or people had got used to just not inviting you. I know."

"I thought that there was a moratorium on inter team profiling?" Spencer asked as he leaned over and stole a piece of orange from Aaron's cup of fruit at his hip. Aaron retaliated by stealing the pickle on his plate. There were more in the basket but Aaron loved the look of betrayal on Spencer's face as he bit into it. 

"That didn't take any profiling at all. Just Spencer knowledge."

"And Morgan blabbing."

"And Morgan blabbing," Aaron said with a laugh. He leaned over for a kiss and smiled into it. He caught the mischievous look on the genius's face as he leaned back. Just a second before he popped the last bite of Aaron's sandwich in his mouth. Aaron set his plate over, picking up both of their cups of wine, setting them in the basket. Spencer eyed him setting his plate down and preparing for whatever Aaron was going to do. Aaron though wasn't going to kiss him or try and pull him into his lap. Instead, he launched himself at the younger man, tackling him back. Spencer's hands flew up to push him off but Aaron grabbed and pinned them above his head in the grass. 

Spencer's eyes widened as he figured out what Aaron was doing when he straddled his waist, pinning his thighs down. 

"Aaron, think about what you are doing," Spencer cautioned, his best negotiator voice trying to get Aaron to stop. Aaron though just smiled and started to pull Spencer's shirt from his pants. He let his hand rest on Spencer's stomach for a few seconds, lulling him into a false sense of security. Spencer wasn't pulling on his hands but he would and Aaron knew that he'd need to lean more of his weight up to his hand when he started what he was going to do. He braced himself and went right for the first rib, just brushing his fingers over that bone. Spencer's eyes widened but he said nothing. He sucked in air and tried to wiggle away but Aaron had him trapped. It didn't take long before he couldn't hold in the gasp and the first laugh. Aaron knew every single spot on Spencer's body that was ticklish. His bottom rib on either side were the worst but he squirmed to get away from the sides more. 

Aaron knew the fine line between Spencer having fun and when it stopped being fun. He let go of Spencer's hands when he pulled on them again. He fought back and laughed as one of Spencer's hands went right for his elbow on the arm he was supporting himself on. He jerked away and fell onto his side. Spencer followed right after him, turning the tables and pushing him on to his back. But instead of straddling his legs like Aaron had done, Spencer straddled his waist. He went right for Aaron's armpits. Aaron tried to distract him by kissing him but Spencer was long past letting that distract him. So Aaron went right for the one place on Spencer's body that was the worst and the younger man had given him perfect access to . 

Spencer's worst spot was just under his right knee. On his left there was never a single reaction. But his right knee, all Aaron would have to do if it was skin was brush his fingers across that bend and Spencer would do his damndest to get away from him. He'd found it one night in bed as he'd been kissing up the back of the younger man's leg. Spencer had bucked trying to get away but Aaron had held firm. It had been a fun night. 

As soon as his fingers brushed his pants, Spencer had tried to move away but Aaron had grabbed his other leg and pulled him closer. 

"AARON!" Spencer screamed as he tipped forward coming to rest on one arm, canted to the side a little. After several minutes, he was finally able to wiggle away from Aaron. His chest heaving and the sound of laughter escaping his lips. Aaron watched him as he settled on his side on the blanket, looking at Aaron. Aaron scooted closer, drawing him in for a proper kiss. Spencer laughed into it. "I'm hungry and you are stopping me from eating."

"You know that I would never stop you from eating." Aaron pushed Spencer onto his back and lifted up his shirt just enough to place a kiss on his belly button. He pulled the shirt down and then kissed farther up Spencer's clothed chest. "Even if you are a sandwich thief."

"But I am your sandwich thief." Spencer pulled him in and kissed him. 

"You are." Aaron kissed his forehead. "You are very much my sandwich thief." Aaron sat up but didn't move far away. He leaned back on the tree and pulled Spencer's head onto his left leg. His younger lover tried to protest but when he pulled out the package and started to open it, Spencer quieted. Aaron opened up the first book and started to read. He held the book open on his right thigh and when his throat dried up, he grabbed the cup of wine. It was the last bit of the lunch wine and the other was still on ice in the basket. He drained Spencer's as well before getting the second bottle out. As soon as the bottle was opened and the smell made it to Spencer, he sat up. Aaron smiled as he handed over the cup. Aaron raised his arm up and Spencer tucked into his side, clutching his cup close and listened. 

Hours went by with Aaron reading to Spencer and both of them snacking on what was left of lunch. He made it halfway through the second book before he just couldn't read anymore. Spencer looked like he was asleep but Aaron knew that he wasn't. He never fell asleep when he was being read to. He stayed awake to absorb every single word. The drinks from his cup and the refills were also indicative of his wakefulness.

"This was perfect, Aaron." 

"I said all day, day is not over yet. We have a movie to catch, after more coffee."

"And what is after the movie?"

"Dinner reservations." 

"You don't have to go all out." 

"I want to. I want to take you out and let people see that I have you."

"That sounds like you want to tell people that I am yours. So that the girl at the coffee shop doesn't ask me out again."

"Or the man at the pizza shop. Or that woman at the bowling alley who kept you in coffee for three hours during a birthday party that ran really long when it turned into kids vs adults and somehow you got put on the kid's side."

"You are just smarting because we won," Spencer said as he pulled away to start cleaning everything up. Aaron bundled up the trash and threw it away while the blanket and pillows were stashed back into the bag. Aaron slipped his arm around Spencer's waist pulling him in close again as they moved to the car. The things were stashed in the trunk with the two books in the backseat. He opened Spencer's door and pulled the genius in for another kiss. This one more intimate than the others. Closer to what would happen at the end of a date instead of in the middle. Spencer's hands settled on his waist and pulled his hips in close. It was getting very close to something they would get in trouble for in public but he didn't care. 

"Seven year old shouldn't be able to beat adults."

Spencer just smiled at him with a huge grin. 

"It all depends on the coach." Spencer kissed his lips one last time before he slipped into the car. Aaron shut the door and moved around to the driver's side. At the next coffee shop, Spencer was the one who got out and got the drinks. Aaron trusted him to get something that he would drink and instead thought about the reservation. He had a movie in mind and knew that it was one that Spencer wouldn't see on a regular basis, but he had more plans than just wanting to watch a movie. 

Spencer got back into the car with two iced coffees instead of regular coffee. Aaron raised an eyebrow but he was handed one that didn't look like it had too much of anything in it. He took a sip and smiled as all he tasted was a little bit of vanilla in it. Spencer's looked like it had chocolate in it. He tipped it over for Aaron to try and he did before pulling out into traffic. Aaron was a little shocked that it was a dark chocolate with little sweet to it. He kind of like it better than what Spencer had got him. The smirk on Spencer's face told Aaron all he needed to know. Aaron handed over the vanilla one and Spencer drained nearly a quarter of it. 

"Cheeky."

Spencer just shrugged. By the time that they made it to the theater, Aaron had half of his coffee gone while Spencer's was gone. Spencer looked at the movies listed as Aaron drained his drink. It was a small theater that played six newer movies as well as three older movies. The frown on his face told him that he wasn't sure what movie they were going to see. Aaron stepped up to the ticket counter and bought two tickets. The teenager behind the counter didn't even bat an eye at him getting tickets to one of the older movies. 

"It's a romantic comedy," Spencer deadpanned as the took the ticket handed to him. 

"What did you tell me, before we ever started dating when I asked what your first date was like?" Aaron asked as he pulled Spencer along with an arm around his shoulder. 

"That my first date wasn't until after I turned eighteen. That I was too young to date anyone else on campus and that local high school kids' parents weren't that interested in letting the high school kids that were my age to date someone who was going to college."

"Yes. So if this was a date that you were going on with another teenager your age, given what you observed of other kids your age, what would you say my goal is?"

Spencer didn't answer until they were walking away from the concession stand with two boxes of candy and two large drinks. Spencer preferred Dr.Pepper when going to movies as he could drink it fizzed or flat while Aaron had chosen the lemonade. It wouldn't go flat at all and Aaron didn't mind drinking it warm. The younger man looked around before he answered. "If it was anyone but you I would say movie theater blow job."

Aaron was never more thankful that he hadn't had a drink of the lemonade in his mouth because it would have hurt coming out his nose. He really hadn't expected that answer at all. "Make out session, Spencer, not blow jobs."

"But what if I wanted to?"

"Next time and it'll have to be bathrooms. I am not getting caught for public indecency with my subordinate in a movie theater."

Spencer laughed but his eyes were looking over the theater as they entered. The lights were still up. He picked a spot farthest from the door and in the back. Aaron followed him and Spencer sat down in the seat that was in the corner and Aaron the one beside. It was only a few minutes before the lights went down and Aaron lifted the bar between the two seats. Spencer actually giggled. 

"Aaron, we shouldn't," Spencer protested but he didn't fight it when Aaron raised the bar on the other side of himself and turned Spencer to face him, his legs going over Aaron's. During the commercials before the start of the movie Aaron didn't lean close enough to kiss the younger man. When they kissed on the couch, this was how they sat. Spencer's hand settled on Aaron's belly and his fingers started to play with the buttons on it. They sat like that for the entire length of the commercials, watching each other's faces. When the lights dimmed the rest of the way and the opening credits started, Aaron felt a finger work it's way in between the sides of his shirt. He smiled as he leaned in and took Spencer's mouth in a kiss. He felt Spencer laughing as he peppered kisses on his lips. By the time that the credits started to roll, Aaron hadn't even looked up from Spencer. He hadn't seen a second of the movie. Drinks were taken quickly usually while the other was trying to map out the other's neck. 

When they left the theater, the woman who had been working the concession stand was staring at them. The ushers who checked on the theater were staring and even the person who had sold them the tickets were staring. Spencer was lost in his happy little world and didn't see it, Aaron was thankful. He just smiled at them all and didn't feel bad at all about getting caught by teenagers and young adults making out in a movie theater. 

Dinner was several blocks from Spencer's place so instead of paying for parking at the restaurant, Aaron drove to Spencer's and parked. He thought that walking after would clear his head of any wine and give them a chance to just be. 

Discussion during the meal was varied and bounced from topic to topic. Ranging from the newest car models that were coming out to the new path that Aaron was taking when running. The closest they got to work talk was when the newest crime statistics for their respective areas was discussed. 

"Best day that I've had that's been Jackless in a while," Spencer said as pushed Aaron into the front door of his house. 

"I'm glad. That was the point." Aaron smiled at him and that's when he saw his eyes. There was hesitance to his eyes and it was something that Aaron hadn't seen in awhile. 

"I-I." Spencer swallowed and Aaron could see that it was hard. "I love you." 

Aaron pulled him in for another kiss. It was the first time that Spencer had said it, ever. The younger man had told Aaron before that it wasn't something he said lightly and the first time around he hadn't been ready. "I love you too, Spencer Reid."

"I didn't want to wait to tell you. I knew for a while but I just..."

"I know what your fears are. I'd said it before and then everything happened. I never pushed you but I knew that you loved me before." Aaron brushed a knuckle down his face. "And the fact that you feel good enough to tell me now means that we are better this time. We are stronger and you feel stronger. So I am going to give you another kiss then I am going to leave."

"But..."

"No buts. I'm going to go get Jack from JJ's and go home. He's expecting me. You are going to stay here. This is not the time for that next step." Aaron kissed him once and slipped from between the door and Spencer. He stayed there on the step as Spencer unlocked his door and stepped inside. When the door shut, Aaron moved to JJ's door to knock. That next step could wait.  
**The End**


End file.
